A separate report from the Fed described the economy as expanding at a “modest to moderate pace” in October and early November. Other data on Wednesday also pointed to a brightening outlook, with the services industry expanding at a solid pace last month and exports attaining a high in October.

“The economy seems to be building enough momentum that growth should accelerate as we move through the first part of next year,” said Joel L. Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economic Advisers.

Private employers added 215,000 new jobs to their payrolls last month, according to the payroll processor ADP.

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The New York Times

It was the biggest rise in the ADP figures in a year and it beat economists’ expectations for a gain of 173,000 jobs. At the same time, the figure for October was revised to 184,000 from 130,000.

The ADP jobs data comes ahead of the government’s comprehensive employment report for November on Friday. That report, which covers both public and private sector hiring, is expected to show an increase of 180,000 in nonfarm payrolls after a rise of 204,000 in October, according to a Reuters poll of economists.

Paul Ashworth, chief United States economist at Capital Economics, referring to the central bank’s timing of winding down its policy known as quantitative easing, said that “if the ADP does prove to be a good guide, a 200,000-plus gain might just be enough to persuade the Fed to begin its Q.E. taper later this month.” The Fed’s next policy meeting is Dec. 17 and 18.

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The report from the Fed, known as the beige book, showed that employers stepped up hiring in some parts of the country in October and early November. The report said hiring accelerated in the Fed’s Philadelphia, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Dallas and Richmond, Va., districts. Job gains were steady elsewhere.

Separately, the Institute for Supply Management said its services index fell to 53.9 last month from 55.4 in October. A reading above 50 still indicates expansion in the sector. November was the 47th straight month of growth in the services sector.